Game Mechanics Quiz 2 - Do you know more?

[UpperKEES]

I added one more rule to avoid redundant work for me:

Because my 'answers' do not differ from yours in the sense that I get my data from testing as well, I will first post my own findings. When other participants found something else, we can have a nice discussion about it before we reach a consensus about the final answer. Points will be rewarded after that.

This will also ensure we will get all data about the game mechanics right (because that's what this quiz is all about) and will avoid unnecessary questions for Virgil, as he is busy enough with more important things.

Also please note that forum time is GMT/UTC minus 5 hours, instead of 6, as I previously stated. Thanks to mthw2vc for the correction. :)

[Kapoios]

1: I
2: G

[mthw2vc]

So far as I can tell, the correct answer for both questions is G.

[UpperKEES]

Posting for Q1 & Q2 is closed now.

My findings:

Question 1:
A. The distance between their base and target
B. The angle between their base and target
C. Their take-off angle
D. The distance between their base and the edge of the map
E. The distance between their target and the edge of the map
F. A random factor

Each of the green options influences the flight route and/or the number of bombs dropped per bombing run. This would mean the correct answer is 5 out of the 6 options: J.

Question 2:
A. The percentage of the unit's surface touched by creeper
B. The creeper depth
C. The distance between the touching creeper and the center of the unit
D. The type of unit
E. The presence of an emitter touching the unit
F. Whether this unit is connected to Odin City or not

Only the type of unit and the percentage of its surface touched by the creeper determine the survival time. This would mean the correct answer is 2 out of the 6 options: G.

Because my 'answers' do not differ from yours in the sense that I get my data from testing as well, I will first post my own findings. When other participants found something else, we can have a nice discussion about it before we reach a consensus about the final answer. Points will be rewarded after that.

I'm sure others will have different findings/views, so bring 'em out!

[ctuna]

My findings exactly.

[Michionlion]

pretty much the same...

[J]

How can you test Q1 E?

[UpperKEES]

How can you test Q1 E?

Well, of course you can't see how the drone flies off your screen, but you can count the number of bombs it drops. In the center of your screen it could for instance be a pattern like 3-4-3-4-1, while near a corner it often becomes a pattern like 2-2-2-2-2-2-2-1. This means the run takes much longer and the bombs will be dropped with more time between them, which could be to your advantage (because more creeper will flow back).

[Kapoios]

The answers also agree with my findings. Only reason I didn't get answer 1 correct is that apparently I can't count to five!

I went a step further in testing for question 2 and found some things that might be interesting to people:

- Civilian structures (collectors, relays, storages, speeds, reactors) and survival pods only look at their central square to determine whether they are damaged (and hence destroyed, since they don't have HP)

- Military structures (blasters, mortars, drone bases, SAMs) also worry about the 8 surrounding squares so a total of 9 squares. The exception is mines, that only care about their center. Each of the 9 squares contributes equally to damage.

- The particular image (the sprite) of the structure does not matter.

- Units lose HP EVERY frame that they have a square in creeper (as opposed to walls that lose HP every 7 frames). Every frame they lose 1 HP for every one of the squares they care about.

- Units do not heal if they have at least one square in creeper. So, they can't heal and get damaged at the same time.

- Civilian structures have 0 HP. Mines have 20 HP, SAMs 200 HP, drone bases 500 HP, blasters 2500 HP, mortars 4999 HP. Units are alive at 0 HP, but die at negative HP. One might wonder why mortars have 4999 and not 5000 HP. My conjecture is that Virgil typoed a < to <= or vice versa (so, probably they have 5000 HP but die at 0 HP instead of negative). Of course, this makes no perceptible difference and doesn't matter for any reasonable purpose.

- The order of things happening is: Military units take damage, then blasters fire, then civilian units take damage. An illustration of this is the attached map. The collector and the SAM are on identical emitters capped by identical blasters. The collector survives, because its damage is checked after the blaster fires, and hence its square is clean. The SAM, however, takes damage, because the emitter fires, then damage is checked, then blaster clears the area. So it takes 1 HP damage every time the emitter (and then the blaster) fires. The careful observer might notice that it takes more than 200 times for it to die. This is because the SAM is not constantly touching creeper, and therefore has a chance to heal sometimes.

- The Thor during its building phase behaves like a civilian structure in that it has 0 HP and only cares about its central square. However, it takes damage at the same time as military structures i.e. before blasters fire and therefore, the emitter squares in the example that are safe for a collector are not safe for the Thor.

The only thing I haven't tested thoroughly is damage of Odin City, so I don't know which squares it cares about and how many HP she has. Maybe I'll get to do that at some point.

[UpperKEES]

Thanks for posting all this useful info Kap! :)

Units do not heal if they have at least one square in creeper. So, they can't heal and get damaged at the same time.

Maybe also nice to know that units heal disconnected from the network (but on the ground). I always figured they had to be connected to Odin City.

I'll keep the answers open for discussion until Tuesday midnight (forum time) and will award the points after that. Two days should be enough I guess, so I'll make this a rule for future weeks as well. Two new questions will be posted along with the rankings.

[mthw2vc]

While I of course agree with your answer to question 2, I have different thoughts about problem 1.

My findings:

Question 1:
A. The distance between their base and target
B. The angle between their base and target
These both seem trivial and hardly affect the 'patterns' as I think of them. Merely how long the flight lasts.
C. Their take-off angle
I disagree. A drone when first built and charged will face to the right every time. Upon returning to its base, when recharged, it will face the same direction it came in for landing. The angle they take off in is one of the most predictable things about drones, and when launched from facing a particular angle, which direction they turn as they lift off is also consistent.
D. The distance between their base and the edge of the map
Confirmed. The flying patterns at takeoff do not change whatsoever based on where the edge of the map is.
E. The distance between their target and the edge of the map
Confirmed. A drone's flying patterns do not appear to be affected by the edge of the map in any situations. However, they will never drop bombs offscreen.
F. A random factor
Confirmed. Testing with launching a pre-built drone before the opening text at a consistent place, I receive different results for when it returns to base each time, with wide variations that simply cannot be caused by user error.

In bold are my findings/thoughts, color-coded for whether or not I agree.

[UpperKEES]

These both seem trivial and hardly affect the 'patterns' as I think of them. Merely how long the flight lasts.

Well, hardly sounds like partly. ;) I do understand your point however; I could have been more clear about the term 'pattern'. I meant the exact way (route) the drones fly and bomb. I'll try to be more clear with future questions.

To all: please ask when something is not entirely clear (like Grauniad and Kapoios did), as my English has its limitations. You can also send a PM if you don't want to give away your considerations. :)

I disagree. A drone when first built and charged will face to the right every time. Upon returning to its base, when recharged, it will face the same direction it came in for landing. The angle they take off in is one of the most predictable things about drones, and when launched from facing a particular angle, which direction they turn as they lift off is also consistent.

I believe that apart from the random factor every option is consistent. The take-off angle does influence the fly route of the drone. When it faces its target with an angle of less than 90 degrees it will turn completely into the targets direction and when the angle is more than 90 degrees it will turn until an angle of 90 degrees has been reached and take off from there, hence influencing the flight pattern.

[Blaze]

:D

I got a point!

[Katra]

Posting for Q1 & Q2 is closed now.

My findings:

Question 1:
A. The distance between their base and target
B. The angle between their base and target
C. Their take-off angle
D. The distance between their base and the edge of the map
E. The distance between their target and the edge of the map
F. A random factor

A. Distance mostly affects the direction of return after several bomb runs and somewhat random turns between runs. More distance means less variability in the direction the drone faces when landing. At extremely close range (ie target right next to/on the base) the first bomb run can be cut short - as in started halfway through.

B. The first bomb run will be on a line close to that between base and target point.

C. Little variation if one is sending the same drone to the same target point; but if using a drone on different targets the direction the drone faces when landing will determine which side of a line between base and target point the drone turns. A very minor factor in the direction of the first bomb run UNLESS the target point is quite close to the base.

D, E. My tests showed drone flight patterns aren't affected by the edge of the map; but drones won't drop bombs off the edge. That can make a meaningful addition to time on target; especially in the corners.

F. On my tests I observed slight random variations in how far a drone turns at the end of a run. Two drones launched on parallel tracks ended up on quite different tracks at the end of their patterns. Also; if a drone is launched at a target directly opposite the direction it faced when landing the drone can turn either left or right.

[UpperKEES]

Questions 3 & 4 have been posted. :) Answers 1 & 2 are still open for discussion until midnight, but I don't plan staying up that late. ;)

I got a point!

No, you don't. Sorry!